Yesterday, Trevor Bauer continued to keep the drool moist on his owners’ chins — 8 IP, 0 ER, 7 baserunners, 12 Ks, ERA at 2.30. The other day some ‘perts listed their biggest surprises of the 2nd half, and one (maybe more) talked about how surprised they were about Bauer. Yeah, shocker. *insanely long pause, staring straight ahead* Really, really surprised. *just a dead-eyed stare, slowly picks up Capri Sun, sips real slow on tiny straw, lets out long burp* Yup, no one saw that coming. Yesterday, it was too bad, Cody Allen had an epic Kazaam — 2/3 IP, 6 ER, moving his ERA up to 4.66. I’m just going to sit down for a second. Aw geez, it hurts to sit. I’m going to lie on my stomach. Make the pain go away. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Lonnie Chisenhall – Will miss eight to ten weeks with a Grade 3 strain of his calf. That’s a calf strain that knows its multiplication tables and stops wee-wee’ing its pants.

Enyel De Los Santos – 6 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 8 baserunners, 6 Ks, as he was called up. Enyel is a favorite of mine because I randomly own him in Tout Wars after Prospector Ralph told me to pick him up, and I did for $4 in a $1000 FAAB league. So hat tip to Ralph and hat tip to myself for listening to Ralph. Though, I don’t wear hats so I’m being a real phony. With all that said (adding on, not subtracting), I watched him and he looked solid if unremarkable. Threw across his body, which made him wild to righties. Lacked control in the zone at times too. Felt like a mid-rotation-type arm if everything goes right. The Phils should keep him in the rotation, but I have no idea if they do, and in mixed leagues he’s more of a streamer. The preceding was from my journal, Grey’s Almanac.

Maikel Franco – 2-for-4, 4 RBIs and his 12th homer. You can try to find another hitter as hot as Maikel, but you’re gonna struggle. You can try to find another hitter that looks like he is Odubel Herrera’s brother, but why bother? You can try to find another hitter who will go cold likely over the All-Star break, but why are you even looking for that? Questions to hmm over.

Nick Williams – 3-for-5, 2 RBI, hitting around 4,000 in the last week and I’m telling anyone who will listen to grab him. I said it on the podcast, I said it in yesterday’s post. I said it while drinking juice, I said talking like Dr. Seuss.

Noah Syndergaard – Will return on Friday. The Mets want to trade Syndergaard, so, I guess, this could bolster his trade appeal if he looks sharp back in the majors. How do we think this will actually turn out for the Ehmazin’ Mets? Cloudy with a chance of crapballs.

Amed Rosario – 3-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI with two triples because he cares about youse in TB leagues (Total Bases, not Tuberculosis). Please, hashtag never forget that Callaway benched Rosario for a week to play Jose Reyes.

Manny Machado – 3-for-4, 3 RBIs and his 22nd and 23rd homer. Everyone has one uncle who divorced their wife and end up marrying one of the wife’s friends. Yesterday’s game was Machado laughing at the Yankees’ dad jokes, saying he would be open to divorcing the Orioles and going with a division rival.

Masahiro Tanaka – 4 1/3 IP, 3 ER, ERA at 4.68, as he was activated from the DL. Happy to see him activated; the gastric acid in my ulcer wasn’t feeling acidy enough. Tanaka is a giant douche because he corrects my PH balance!

Greg Bird – 1-for-3, 4 RBIs and his 6th homer. Bird’s helping the Yankees trade for Machado too, because I’m sure the Yankees would love to send him to the O’s. “Yeah, he’s great, just go down a little ways, and there’s beautiful Greg Birds, take as many as you want,” as Jimmy Conway waves the Orioles towards an alleyway.

Avisail Garcia – Hit the DL with a bad case of the Avisails. Don’t do PEDs, kids. Not saying Avisail did PEDs, but I’m giving advice to avoid PEDs in a blurb for Avisail, which is wholly coincidental if Avisail’s attorney is reading.

Miles Mikolas – 6 IP, 2 ER, 4 baserunners, 6 Ks, ERA at 2.65. In the preseason, I said I’d draft Mikolas before I would draft Ohtani. In that surprises’ article I mentioned in the Bauer lede, people mentioned Mikolas as a huge surprise too. *another long pull on the Capri Sun straw*

Jose Quintana – 6 IP, 0 ER, 5 baserunners, 3 Ks, ERA at 3.96. Was a pretty easy matchup — sorry, Giants, but you are. Hadn’t looked at Quintana’s peripherals in a while. The long and short of it, he’s just not a #2 anymore. Nothing to do with luck, he’s a 4-ish ERA pitcher now.

Rich Hill – 7 IP, 4 ER, 8 baserunners, 7 Ks, ERA at 4.64. It was the Padres. Dude, get a blister and get out of here.

Wil Myers – 1-for-4 and his 8th homer, and 45th homer this week. Wow, Myers is on some kind of crazy run here. Serpentine! Serpentine! Serpentine! More crazy runs!

Wilson Ramos – 1-for-4, 3 RBIs and his 14th homer, and 2nd in as many games. He’s thanking all those Russian bots who voted him into the All-Star Game.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – Expected to be moved up to Triple-A. Considering he’s hitting over .400 and about to buy Ted Williams’ frozen head at a Sotheby’s auction, yeah, makes sense.

Josh Donaldson – Resumes baseball activities. For Donaldson, I’m not sure if this is a positive or negative.

Marcus Stroman – 7 IP, 1 ER, 8 baserunners, 5 Ks, ERA at 5.90. In AL-Only leagues, you do what you have to do, but I can’t see me recommending Stroman ever in a mixed league this year, no matter the matchup or what Stream-o-Nator says.

Justin Smoak – 1-for-4 and his 13th homer, hitting .241. As I go over my top 100 for the 2nd half that’s coming next week, I’ve toyed with Smoak being included, and, if he hits five homers between now and Sunday, he might still make it, i.e., Justin.

Adalberto Mondesi – 2-for-4, RBIs and a slam (2) and legs (5). I saw the Royals scored runs yesterday and, before looking at the box score, I made a bet with myself trying to guess who knocked in those runs. I chose Lucas Duda, and lost the bet, so I had to go streaking around my house.

Brian Dozier – 1-for-4 and his 14th homer. I keep saying he’s a buy low before we get into his 2nd half dolla, dolla bill time. Can only lead a horse to water, can’t make the horse appreciate going back to the same place its been before and finding new things to like, besides the water.

Travis Shaw – 1-for-3, 2 RBIs and a slam (16) and legs (1), hitting .242. The steal is a pleasant surprise but whatevs on that; it’s the home run I’m interested in. I legit want his wrist to be okay, I just don’t know if it is, Orf course.

Rougned Odor – 2-for-3, 3 runs and his 6th homer, hitting .286 in July (cherrypicking!), and has four homers since June 26th (hey, if I’m renting the stupid cherrypicker, I’m gonna use it) with four steals since June 25th (grab up dem favorable stats)!

Andrew Benintendi – 2-for-4, 1 run, 2 RBIs, hitting .298. This is just for Benintendi owners the rest of you can continue on. He’s doing so well, isn’t he? *high fives all around* Isn’t it surprising to you he’s not hitting .300? Feels like he’s had multiple hits every day for the last two months. Was cool talking to you maybe we can connect via AIM. Hello? Hey, where you going? We’re BFFs! Come back!

Felix Hernandez – Hit the DL with back soreness. Must be sore from lugging around that 5.13 ERA.

Mitch Haniger – 2-for-4, 3 RBIs and his 18th homer. He’s big time feast or famine, huh? His April — 9 HRs, .286; his May — 1 HR, .233; June — 6 HRs; July was a .188 average with zero homers before yesterday. Taking Saberhagenmetrics to a new level.

Garrett Richards – 2 2/3 IP, 3 ER, ERA at 3.66. I swear, I didn’t Google news on him, so I have no idea why he was lifted, but can I guess an injury? I’m right, aren’t I? Just nod if I’m right. Kidding, I can’t see you, you goof.

Kole Calhoun – 3-for-4, 3 runs, 2 RBIs and his 6th homer as he hit leadoff again after a week-long detour in the nine hole. The Sciosciapath is mad, and if you fold a lineup card together like a Mad Magazine cover, the nine hole and the leadoff spot are the same spot.

Alex Bregman – 2-for-5, 3 RBIs and his 18th and 19th homers. Hey, Bregman, this is all cool and all, but could you give George Springer back his mojo? Doode’s wandering around like a limp noodle laying on a water bed.

Hector Rondon – 1 IP, 1 ER and the blown save after he had to enter the game, cleaning up Ken Giles’ mess (0 IP, 3 ER). Why do the Astros keep trying to bother with Giles? His only punch outs are of his own head.

Stephen Piscotty – 1-for-5 and his 11th homer, and 4th homer in as many games. I don’t know why you’re not picking him up and Piscotty doesn’t know either.

Tyler Anderson – 6 IP, 1 ER, 7 baserunners (4 BBs), 8 Ks, ERA at 3.76. As I said on yesterday’s podcast between um’s and uh’s, I’m done with Rockies starters. The upside is not worth the downside.

Nolan Arenado – 2-for-3, 2 runs and his 23rd homer. In my attic, I found the actual feather the real-life nephew of Uncle Sam put in his cap and pronounced it ‘macaroni.’ I’m just going to carelessly leave it by this open window–NOOOO!!! Torenado!!!

Joe Musgrove – 5 IP, 2 ER, 6 baserunners, 9 Ks, ERA at 3.77, as he was activated from the DL. Perfect guy for the Pirates to get back as we head into trading season, because everything Musgrove! As for him specifically, his peripherals are solid, but if his health isn’t 100%, I wouldn’t trust him in every matchup, but could see owning him.

Jeremy Hellickson – 5 IP, 0 ER, 3 baserunners, 3 Ks, ERA at 3.47. Would be overstating matters if I said I was picking him up, I’ll go into cyclops with a monocle mode for now.

Bryce Harper – 0-for-5, 4 Ks, hitting .215. According to Tom Verducci, Bryce is so far inside his head right now with this slump he’s trying old Little League exercises to break him out of the slump. Like crying when he strikes out, calling his manager a ‘jerk’ then pointing to a teammate indicating they said ‘jerk,’ and sticking a pretzel out of his fly so it looks like he has a pretzel penis.

Anthony Rendon – 1-for-5, 2 RBIs and his 13th homer. Rendon would just like to clear up that he did not call anyone a jerk.

Sean Doolittle – Hit the DL. I was gonna say this with Avisail, but I felt like dragging his name through the mud instead. Guys hit the DL in the week leading up to the All-Star break as a way to sneak in an extra few days of rest. This seems like the case with Doolittle. He’ll get this week and next week. It’s like having multiple colonoscopy bags hooked to your belt and going to a buffet. Sneaky, but totally legal. Kelvin Herrera would appear to be the clearcut favorite to fill-in.

Superb recap, sir. Happy Day after Bauer Day! HDABD! That was impressive! Even Cody’s 6 ER can’t spoil my mood (except in the one league I have Bauer *and* Cody!!) BTW, I think Cody got Kazaamed! up 4 in the 9th, not that it excuses anything… Why didn’t Tito just let him finish? So 100 pitches isn’t the threshold but 111 is? [Tries to jam straw into Capri Sun but is too angry. Capri Sun sprays out of straw all over shirt.] Ugh.

Have a good one until next HDABD. Great pod (how’d that dude get a DMC?) and looking forward to 2nd half ranks!

A Circumstance that will coerce one man will have no effect upon a man of a different temperament. If Circumstance had thrown the bank-note in Caesar’s way, his temperament would not have made him start for the Amazon. His temperament would have compelled him to do something with the money, but not that. It might have made him advertise the note–and WAIT. We can’t tell. Also, it might have made him go to New York and buy into the Government, with results that would leave Tweed nothing to learn when it came his turn.

Very well, Circumstance furnished the capital, and my temperament told me what to do with it. Sometimes a temperament is an ass. When that is the case the owner of it is an ass, too, and is going to remain one. Training, experience, association, can temporarily so polish him,
improve him, exalt him that people will think he is a mule, but they will be mistaken. Artificially he IS a mule, for the time being, but at bottom he is an ass yet, and will remain one.

By temperament I was the kind of person that DOES things. Does them, and reflects afterward. So I started for the Amazon without reflecting and without asking any questions. That was more than fifty years ago. In all that time my temperament has not changed, by even a shade. I have been punished many and many a time, and bitterly, for doing things and
reflecting afterward, but these tortures have been of no value to me; I still do the thing commanded by Circumstance and Temperament, and reflect afterward. Always violently. When I am reflecting, on those occasions, even deaf persons can hear me think.

I went by the way of Cincinnati, and down the Ohio and Mississippi. My idea was to take ship, at New Orleans, for Para. In New Orleans I inquired, and found there was no ship leaving for Para. Also, that there never had BEEN one leaving for Para. I reflected. A policeman came and
asked me what I was doing, and I told him. He made me move on, and said if he caught me reflecting in the public street again he would run me in.

and to give context, here are some of the best SP available on the waiver: Sabathia, Gibson, Kingham, Stroman, Odorizzi, Gausman, Ross, D Rodriguez, Suarez, etc

Since Hill came back from the DL, he has a 3.34 ERA with a 22.8 K-BB%, including his mediocre start yesterday. Am I crazy to think he has higher upside than those waiver options? Or should I hold out for a better opportunity?

I was offered either Blackmon and Carrasco for Aguilar and a 3rd rd pick next year or Rizzo in place of Blackmon. Aguilar is 11th rd keeper next year. No one else in trade has keeper value. Thoughts? Wil myers backup 1B as well

@Grey: I respectfully disagree. He may not be a true #2 anymore even though he was drafted as one, but he’s still a clear tier above streaming. His 88% ownership in ESPN supports that, I think. There’s something to be said for being consistently average on a good team.

Just saying, guys like Wheeler, Eovaldi, Cahill are streamers. Quintana is ranked in top-60 of pitchers which is a roster spot in a 12-team mixed.

@Grey: The only concern with him is the walks. I don’t see any other concern. He’s only had 7 games at home. Two bad starts against Atlanta two and three months ago has skewed his splits.
Idk, I don’t get how he’s lumped in with streamers, sorry. He’s not worth where he was drafted but he’s still clearly better than being on the waiver wire.

@Grey: Fair enough. I know I have no reason to drop him in my league. He’s way above what’s currently available and would be picked-up right away. If he reverts back to April, maybe then. Just don’t see any reason to when I have much worse pitchers on my roster in Godley and VV. But we have ten pitcher spots in my league (overall P) so it’s deep.

Drafted Bauer after yer recommendation of him and I had been reading you for a few years. Guys in my league said it was a ‘ wasted pick’ . Ha. Bauer is a monster. Just like you said. I’ll read you and take yer advice until I stop playing fantasy baseball. Thank you Grey! Your site is really the best. And your an effing genius!

Schoop: Is he back? Not necessarily “back” back, but “playable with legit hope for upside” back… on a crappy injury riddled 8th place team in desperate need of some HR power… I just dropped J-Hey for Schoop.

Kyle Tucker – score 3 runs with an SB and no mention! Where’s the justice! I’m joshing orf course, but thought he’d get some screen time (unless you’re limiting that because he’s so young).

Yuli Gurriel – did he make the top 100? Doubt it, but he’s be (fire emoji) 100 lately. Gurriel or Thames over the second half?

We rolling Montgomery out there today or nah? In 2 leagues I’m in theres a 24SP limit due to extended period and I’m needing as much help as I can get in one league to win what is now a 4 way tie breaker for 1st.

Benny owner, and I feel like he’s been a .320 hitter this year, with a HR here and a SB there, without doing anything spectacular. But then I see he’s ranked #8 overall and this guilt washes over me for taking his awesomeness for granted.

@Grey: what do you think about beintendi long term? my friend and I always argue beintendi vs. bregman (don’t ask why) I always say bregman is better now and long term. better approach imo and can hit both lefties and righties. Beintendi just seems like the red sox awesomeness is boosting his player rater value. Seems like that guy that will fall off the fantasy radar once his speed declines. Maybe he figures out lefties though and will be sweet for years to come.

@Grey: haha for sure. On all accounts. One of my friends played in a tournament against him when he played at LSU and he sounds like a nutbag. I guess he hit a single and said to my friend playing first base “ya BRO! That shit was nothin, bout to hit 60 bombs against you guys weekend!”

It is a good day when 3 phillies hitters are in the top 10 of the daily update! They have been winning without hitting hopefully the bats get hot. Still not convinced on kapler though so many fundumentals ignored. that first game of the double header tie game in 8th nobody out runners on 1 & 2 and Franco swinging for the fence for a weak pop up to third when a ball in play score .

It is good that big Stein is no longer the head of the Yankees but it does make me long for the days of him getting a boner because Manny hit two against the Yankees last night and them then trading McGee, McGriff and Buhner for Machado.

Two pitchers who have been bad lately but have good next matchups:
G Gonzalez @ PIT
Pivetta @BAL
I have the luxury to not start them as I am slightly over pace for the league’s 200 start max, but don’t want to miss out on their bounceback outing. Start them?
Thanks!

I’m in a H2H Yahoo OPS/QS 16 team Dynasty League ($400 budget) and looking for a 3B – Eugenio Suarez and Devers are both on $6 contracts – is one a clear choice? If so, do you give up a $6 Corbin (and $18 B. Belt) for one of them?

@ctrengove: Eflin’s been better for sure. But Quintana is still a step up from average streamers. I agree on the draft cost, I haven’t gotten enough value out of him but he’s definitely not droppable in my league.

@ctrengove: Probably depends on roster size, I suppose. Most owned pitcher available in my league is under 40%. Quintana has 88% ownership in ESPN. Ranked as 60th starting pitcher which is about right. I would drop Godley over him. Quin and Chacin are pretty comparable.

Fangraphs has him ranked 43rd and “usually start” ranking. That’s accurate considering his awful April is skewering his numbers. I don’t have any reason to sit him.

I guess I consider streamer guys like Wheeler, Cahill, Eovaldi, guys that you’re riding the hot hand and moving on from easily.

I have piscotty – but been seeing a lot of chatter about Nick Williams- I am a Philly guy, but have a semi-distrust of the phillies. I picked Piscotty after dropping Avisail. Williams or Piscotty ROS – if one can even answer that. Also pick up Avisail if it looks like this hammy DL stint isnt the 2 month end of season hammy?

@Johnnyhobbes: n.will gets sort of hot for maybe 3 days at a time, then turns to garbage for like 16 days at a time. rinse/repeat. piscotty’s mom finally stopped rotting, and OAK locals have mentioned he’s found the motivation/time/effort to change his swing, he’ll be good now. avisail was of course even hotter than piscotty, but now hurt again with the exact same injury that he had before and is likely out longer this time to actually heal it (similar to kennedy)

Odorizzi, Cahil, Matz, Romo, Mahle Wheeler, Minor ROS– basically a streaming situation? FYI- this is my first year using ‘pert source for advice, and you and the rest of the perty perts are unbelievable valuable but at the same time id dont want to tell my league mates about you. sorry / not sorry. Also after seeing this season unfold I wont be drafting pitching before the 5th round ever again

@Grey: ESPN has Romo with SP slot capability- and he piles in points- in weekly league – it draws my interest. … hear ya on the rest . out of curiosity would Luke Weaver be above the rest of those SPs?

@Grey: Although a local hottie in my neck of the woods and fellow Villanova Alum, she doesn’t hold a candle to the master Lothario. (although I was always fascinated at her gratuitous bush shots in more than just a couple of here works) Just finished a trade … gave L weaver and Scooter for Brian Dozier. thoughts?

I need to either drop arano outright or cut one of the arms on my milb roster to make room for arano. i’m in 2nd place and have treinen, vazquez, hector rondon closing with melancon if he ever gets the job back and strickland on the DL. varano is useful but he’s probably not getting more than 10 saves ROS in committee with seranthony.

anyway, would you cut arano outright, or send him down and cut one of kaprielian (hurt but still think he has upside if healthy), taylor hearn, dennis santana, or jojo romero. I’d be sending arano down to call him back up at some point if he emerges as the top CL option in PHI

@Grey: put in a waiver claim for de los santos and just plugged in arano then forgot about it. so he’s gone.

only option is to send him down and drop another prospect or let him hit waivers and lose him. if i cut a prospect and place arano on my milb roster, i can then send down de los santos and call up arano or just cut melancon. a little convoluted, i know. but to do that i have to cut a prospect.

so who would you cut from kaprielian, jojo romero, taylor hearn (pit), or dennis santana for arano? I’m competing for a championship if that changes who you’d cut.

Yes, Garrett Richard is injured again. I can’t keep him or any of my starters healthy. Now I only have Heaney. Meanwhile, I can hardly contain my jealousy of that bastard A.J. Hinch. He’s got Verlander, Cole, Morton, McCullers, Keuchel.

I’m sure this has been discussed already further up the thread but,
how is it NOT cheating to have multiple colostomy bags hooked to your belt whilst at an all-you-can-eat buffet?!?!!!

This is thievery of the highest order. Buffet owners should do cavity searches at the door to prevent these so-called Shit-bag Smugglers. I think I’ve just found a new line of work for myself! Goodbye Mom’s basement!!

Morning Grey, in a redraft H2H weekly locks,
1. in 2nd place with 20 moves left… do you use a move to drop G Fing Richards for Tucker? My other bench bat is Moncada.
2. Also trying to clean house on pitching, my hitting has kept me going.. flat out drop Pivetta and leave slot open for later use? Out there is Musgrove Suarez Bieber Guerra Luchessi.. kinda streamers and tough to commit with limited moves I guess.. thanks!
3. Oh and Grey sporting the back to the future shirt in LA huh? Nice! The wife got me a custom Biff Co. Enterprises shirt on Father’s Day.. met the one who printed the shirt at a party.. she’s like “what’s Biff Co?” Either she’s young or I’m old!

Good morning, Grey! Wow, references to both Goodfellas and Mad Magazine fold ins? You’ve made Jimmy Two Times and Al Jaffee very happy!

With news that Avisail’s hammy strain is a newer (kinder, gentler) strain, which they say should have him return just after the break, should I now hold?

Could drop for…
Mondesi. His inconstant toolsy-ness intrigues me. He’d fit in with my all-or-nothing offense.
Starlin Castro. Owning Harper, Gallo & Santana, I’m always battling in batting average
Eovaldi. Worth rostering in RCL? I have enough decent SPs that I can sit him when I need to
Otherwise I can just use it as a streaming spot. Any or all of these better than holding Avisail?

@Grey: Cool. Oh, I guess I should’ve mentioned I already have three guys on the DL, so Avisail’s taking up a roster spot. Does that change the outlook? Do you occasionally keep DL’d guys even when you’re over your DL limit?

PS: Bryce Harper is such a horror to own these days, because you can never sit him. You just gotta keep starting him and watch him kill your team day after day. I’ve got my fingers crossed on the pretzel penis cure though…

Wow, SON liked Bieber against NYY… You said after his last start you prolly don’t have the stones to start him against NYY. Still the case? I’m torn between my gut (which is stoneless) and SON’s big-stone love-fest.

To bolster your confidence in your Lucchesi stream, I’m starting Maeda. My last 3 starts vs. the padres : 27 baserunners, 11 ER, in 16 innings pitched, and of course no wins. I would bet on a Padres win and big days from Renfroe, Spangenburg, Asuaje, and Hedges.

I’m in a 12 team NL-ONLY 5×5 keeper Roto league and I’m playing for next season. There ar no salaries and we can keep the players as long as we want. I have already acquired extra picks in the first 3 rounds and we can keep 4 players.

Right now, my keepers are –

Nolan Arenado
Max Scherzer
Paul Goldschmidt
Ozzie Albies

I also have AJ Pollock, whom I can package with one of my keepers.

I have the ability to spin Goldschmidt or Albies with Pollock into one of the following –

Hey Grey
Is the Camargo train coming to an end
I like his multi position eligibility but he hasnt done much in about a week
On waivers are
Reddick, Nick Williams, Jorge Polanco, Cron
I could really use RBI’s as well as stolen bases
I know Camargo doesnt give SB’s
What do you think
Thanks

Was offered my Syndergaard and Verdugo for his Mazara and Snell in a 12 team roto dynasty league. Not hurting for much and in 2nd right now. Just not sure if Thor is going to ever be reliable. Should I accept. I offered my Strasburg instead but he declined. Thanks!

In a keeper league, I’m unable to keep Lindor for next year and would consider dealing him if it could put me over the top this year. A possible deal would be Lindor, Devers and either Buehler or F. Peralta for Machado, Strasburg and W. Davis. Is this a fair offer? Thanks

Hey Grey- almost an impossible question, but Harper in a keeper league? I’ll never get fair value after this year, but as a $40+ keeper with the price only going up is it time move on? I was thinking Sale, a good closer and a 3 OF. That would help this year- and I’m sure a deal like that is the best I’d get.

HOU is bat shit a 2.25 FIP pitcher gets demoted. of course he can’t use this argument since he’s throwing tantrums all the damn time, if they are going to demote him they should pull a MIN and throw him down into like low A or something with the young children of the professional baseball set.

@William Hung: i’d do that, abreu has like a mid .750’s OPS this year, likely getting pretty damn tired of being on a team that bad. either that or he’s hurt, or just a 2 month cold streak. i’d think TRON would likely say desmond in COL over abreu, but haven’t checked.

Who do you like better between Vazquez and Treinen ROS for counting stats and ratios and save opps going forward. I’m leaning Treinen and think he’ll be getting plenty of opps with OAK in the Wild Card hunt.

@Perfect Game: just wow, rondon has been primary saves HOU guy (except when he’s tired) for over a month now. even like fantasy newbies would start to notice how F’d that “advice” is. (as of june 10th this was pretty obvious, and there’s been no evidence to the contrary since)

seems like you’re down on Harper going forward, at least it seems like people are selling low(ish) on him in the comments and you’re agreeing.

I looked into him a little but am not an expert. He’s walking more than ever but also striking out more than normal. His hard contact is up and soft contact down. he’s seeing less pitches in the zone and his zone contact is way down. some of this seems to contradict one another. what do you make of this? are pitchers just pitching around him more and maybe he’s pressing to try to get hits?

Is he walking more than ever? That’s surprising… Watching a lot of him, just pulling off everything… So many garbage grounders into 2B and 1B… He’s just slumping, I think he’ll be fine, but maybe as a top 20-25 guy vs. top 5

@Grey: he’s walking almost 20% don’t you own him in OBP league?? haha. His value in OBP vs AVG has to be night and day. But yeah it’s frustrating he easily could be top 5. I think he’s had one monster year. Every other year he’s either had a monster couple months and gotten hurt or just had a mediocre year but healthy.

Luke Weaver – 8 IP, 2 ER, 2 hits, zero walks, 7 Ks, ERA at 4.92. The guy we thought we were getting in the preseason decided to do a drop by, uninvited, but always welcome. So, the good news is he should be better than his 4.92 ERA. His xFIP is nearly a run lower than his ERA, his velocity is up and he gets the White Sox next. I’d go back in on him.

now LAA are saying richards has a torn UCL, but didn’t he ALREADY have that and he for some asinine reason (like boss tanaka) think “resting” it for a few months is a way to get around this issue. or did he have a different part of his elbow torn already? if he did already have this torn UCL that is how it should be reported, not like this.

Yo dude – hope your week’s going good. I’m in the process of selling a house, which is a total time suck!
Anyways, I’ve been entertained lately by a group of artists who are active on social media that I thought you might like. Baseball Card Vandals. They are on Twitter, Facebook, Insta, etc.https://twitter.com/bsblcardvandals

@Grey: wow, NEVER thought i’d see the day for this answer to this question, unless box wine (gallo) got hurt. bird hasn’t done anything, HR’s nor AVG. my guess is grey’s going the route of “if you can easily just grab one or the other from FA grab the guy doing better right now” route. bird has even less consistency (unless 5 or so days of one full hit each counts)

@Grey: Cleveland was hitting so much I got kinda terrified the coaches would pull Carrasco before he went five innings. Now at least I learned how many runs make me comfortable about my pitcher’s chances for a win. 17.

Well the one good thing about a weekly league is benching a pitcher ( Folty) since he was supposed to pitch vs Ari… goes against the Jays which I would have thrown him in easily in a daily and pitches 1 run 6 2/3 IP until…. well I’ll read your blurb tomorrow about that…

@Grey: It happens, and as much as we love Bauer, he’s my $8 ace in a redraft league, would you trade him away for Machado? Don’t need hitting but figure it’s Manny but I’d take a hit in pitching (after Bauer it’s Carrasco Wood Maeda Eflin Folty Flaherty Pivetta …get’s worse from there)

2-catcher 14-team league…pickings are scarce on the free agent list so maybe I keep rolling out Gattis and JR Murphy but the D-backs aren’t rolling out JR Murphy much lately…

Hedges seems like a good (short-term?) bet. Romine should be good until Sanchez is back. Narvaez, Swihart, Wieters, Maile, Garver, Welington Castillo is available to stash, K.Smith, Flowers, Avila, Wilson…

I’ve owned Giles all year in a 10 team H2H where the closer hunt is strong. I was finally considering dropping him but still holding in my mind really. I could voice my rationalization/argument for holding him, but the demotion may be what it takes for me to finally cut bait. Would you go with CJ Edwards or Trivino as an RP replacement?

@hal_incandenza: i’d target guys who are about to become closers if/when somebody else gets traded at this point. rondon was already in charge of that bullpen before this “clear yourself of acting like a baby before we let you pitch in MLB again even though you have an awesome FIP of 2.25” demotion.
so the brach, givens. soria, romo, oh, clippard, j.anderson, maybe one of diekman/leclerc, yates, hughes, steckenriders of the world.

@Yr Never Too Old for Balloons: Solid advice. Of the guys you named, Brach, Givens, and Oh are out there. Are you thinking Oh might take control of closing in TOR or via a trade? I see Tepera (owned) may be back this weekend.

Alright went through with that trade I gave story/Contreras and got sale which makes starting rotation sale severino Nola Mikolas Lester ray with vizcaino kimbrel and Diaz as RP. We get ten starts a week when I need the spot start who’s the drop ray? Or just try and get lucky with a rp eligible sp and drop vizcaino ?